Appearance

In Anime and Original Manga

Kinta is a young man with a stout, rotund build and short dark hair styled with a middle part. He wears glasses and is typically seen dressed in his school’s gakuran uniform, reflecting the standard attire of male students at Kami High.

In Age-Restricted Manga

Gallery

In Anime and Original Manga

In Age-Restricted Manga

This manga contains content intended for mature audiences. It explores complex themes and may not be suitable for younger readers. The storyline delves into deep character development, intense drama, and emotional narratives. Viewer discretion is advised.

Personality

Kinta exhibits a vain and prideful demeanor, particularly toward young men his age, with whom he shows little interest in socializing. When Okarun and Jiji arrived at the Ayase house carrying the defeated Bamora, Kinta immediately confronted them with a condescending attitude, criticizing their lateness and dismissing any compliments they offered. His need for attention is evident in his attempts to present himself as a significant figure at school. To achieve this, he wore an eyepatch and wrapped himself in bandages, fabricating a story that he had sustained the injuries while single-handedly defeating an alien in battle.

Kinta frequently strives to appear cool and strong in front of others, often striking dramatic poses and making eccentric statements to capture attention. His pride also makes it difficult for him to acknowledge his own shortcomings. Rather than admitting his mistakes or failures, Kinta tends to justify them with excuses, reinforcing his desire to maintain an image of competence and strength.

However, Kinta acknowledges that his prideful and attention-seeking demeanor is merely a facade. Fully aware of his limitations and feelings of inadequacy, he initially coped with his insecurities by criticizing others and seeking validation from his peers. Despite having little to take pride in, Kinta is determined to stay true to himself, embracing his genuine passions and motivations.

Driven by his love for robots and girls, Kinta refuses to let fear dictate his actions. When faced with the threat of being crushed inside the cockpit by the Spatial Suit Exosuit Kur, he chose to stand his ground rather than abandon the Great Kinta and Bamora. Believing that running away would leave him with lifelong regret, Kinta pushed forward with unwavering determination, fully committed to defeating the Kur despite the dangers he faced.

Despite his prideful and socially awkward nature, Kinta possesses a notable degree of bravery and determination. He eagerly steps up to help the Family confront the unknown, displaying visible excitement at the opportunity to join the action after discovering an SOS note attached to the Ayase house. Even when injured during battle and faced with the possibility of death, Kinta remained composed, focusing on protecting Bamora and strategizing a way to defeat the Hastur Kur.

His courage was evident from his very first battle, despite his initial lack of combat abilities. Rather than fleeing to save himself, Kinta willingly charged into danger to uncover the secret behind the enemy’s invisibility, demonstrating both curiosity and resolve. Although his abrasive communication style can sometimes overshadow his bravery, Kinta refuses to retreat when confronted with danger. Instead, he consistently seeks solutions and remains determined to overcome any challenges that arise.

When it comes to interacting with the opposite sex, Kinta aspires to be perceived as charming and attractive to girls. However, his attempts often fall flat due to his misguided understanding of relationships between young men and women. His tendency to misinterpret social cues frequently leads to awkward or unsuccessful outcomes.

In addition to his awkwardness, Kinta has a somewhat perverted side. During one incident, he hoped to accidentally lock lips with Momo as he was sent flying toward her by Bamora. Similarly, in his battle against the Spatial Exosuit Kur, Kinta was eager to end the fight quickly so he could experience what he referred to as a “lovey-dovey thunder break” with Bamora, revealing his romantic and somewhat impulsive desires.

In addition to his desire to be liked by girls, Kinta is deeply passionate about mechas. His enthusiasm is reflected in his hobby of collecting mecha figurines called Dandams and avidly watching anime from the mecha genre. Inspired by his fascination with giant robots, Kinta dreamed of one day piloting a mecha himself. In preparation for this goal, he dedicated time to riding amusement park attractions, believing that doing so would help him build tolerance against the motion sickness he might experience while operating a robot.

Kinta’s long-held dream became a reality during the battle against Bamora’s out-of-control exosuit. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of mechas, he utilized the nanoskin material from the Ayase house to construct a functional mecha of his own. Seizing the opportunity to pilot it in combat, Kinta’s excitement and joy were evident as he fulfilled his lifelong aspiration, proving that his passion for mechas had prepared him to rise to the occasion.

Weapons

Great Kinta Bodhisattva, Zeta Version (グレートキンタ菩薩ゼータバージョン Gurēto Kinta Bosatsu Zēta Bājon)

In this revised version, the mecha’s traditional V-fin was replaced with a pair of sunglasses, giving it a modern and sleek appearance. Its flowing robe was transformed into a sleeveless gi, designed for greater agility and maneuverability, with a scarf draped over its shoulders for added flair. Additionally, circular plates were affixed to its hips, contributing to both its aesthetic and functional design.

As the pilot, Kinta controlled the mecha to engage in melee combat, employing a mix of straightforward strikes and improvised techniques during battle. To counter the kaiju’s invisibility, he visualized the sunglasses as infrared scopes to detect the creature’s presence. However, before he could effectively utilize this feature, the kaiju launched an attack, interrupting his strategy and preventing the infrared vision from demonstrating its full potential. Despite this setback, Kinta’s quick thinking and adaptability allowed him to continue fighting, showcasing both his passion for mechas and his growing combat skills.

Techniques

Hot Wind Straight Fist Punch (熱風 正拳突 Neppū Seikentsuki)

In the VIZ Manga translation, this technique is referred to as the Blazing Wind Seiken Zuki Punch, emphasizing its combination of speed, precision, and force.

Hyper Gora Slasher (ハイパー強羅斬り Haipā Gōra Kiri)

Daedalus Acha (ダイダロスアチャ Daidarosu Acha)

Rocket Punch (ロケットパーンチ Roketto Pānchi)

Super Electrowave Tornado (超電波竜巻 Chō Denpa Tatsumaki)

In the VIZ Manga translation, this technique is referred to as the Super Electrowave Hurricane, emphasizing its high-speed rotation and powerful finishing effect.

Super Electrowave Spin (超電波スピン Chō Denpa Supin)

Etymology

• The surname Sakata (坂田) translates to “sloped rice field”, derived from the combination of “slope” (坂, saka) and “rice field” (田, ta).
  • Interestingly, the name is also homophonous with Sakata Beika, a well-known Japanese rice snack company.
• Kinta’s given name (金太) carries the meaning of “golden and thick”. The character “kin” (金) means “gold”, which may reference his fascination with the kintama, while “ta” (太) means “thick” or “fat”, possibly alluding to his stout physique.
  • An intriguing cultural connection lies in the similarity between Kinta’s name and Kintarō, a legendary folk hero in Japanese mythology. Kintarō was also known as Sakata Kintoki (坂田 金時), sharing both the surname Sakata and a given name that includes the character for “gold” (金) and has a similar phonetic sound, further linking Kinta to this iconic figure from Japanese folklore.

References

• He ranks as the fourth favorite character among Yukinobu Tatsu’s top four characters in the series.
• In addition to Dandam being a clear nod to the Gundam series, Kinta’s mecha pays tribute to several iconic anime from the mecha genre. Notably, it references the Mazinger series, which popularized the Rocket Punch technique—a move that has since appeared in numerous series, including non-mecha genres. Additionally, Kinta’s mecha shares similarities with Gurren Lagann, featuring pointed glasses reminiscent of the titular mecha and incorporating the use of drills as a key element of its design and combat style. These homages highlight Kinta’s passion for mechas and the series’ broader celebration of classic anime influences.

Notes

• Kinta is a second-year student at Kami High, indicating that he is likely between the ages of 16 and 17.